If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Married to a Spanish national outside Spain

Hello,

I just got married to a Spanish girl in Dubai (Dubai court) and now I issued her a residence permit under my sponsorship. Please advise what is the procedure now to register our marriage in Spain and to process for me a Spanish residence permit (I donít want to work in Spain, I just need it so I can travel to Spain whenever I want and to be able to register my future kids in Spain)

To register your marriage in Spain you will need to attend the nearest Spanish 'Registro Civil Consular' to the place where you got married in. The Registro Consular carries out the same functions as the Registro Civil ( civil registry) in Spain. You must contact them previously to set up an appointment but also to ask them the exact documents they will need. Once you attend, they will carry out an interview where you will be asked several questions to ascertain that it is an authentic marriage and not a convenience one. If the interview goes well, you will receive a 'certificado literal de matrimonio' and a 'libro de familia'.

Regarding your residency this can only be requested if your wife moves back to Spain and resides here. Whilst she is residing in UAE this is not possible.

I think I sort of have similar situation.....
My boyfriend is Spanish and he just accepted a job in UK (we both live in NY) so we are considering getting married to be able to move together to UK (since I am not EU resident, I am on a working visa in USA). Would that be possible since I just found out I would have to live in Spain for at least a year to get a Spanish citizenship and working permit to work and live in EU? I have a Bosnian citizenship.

I am a Spanish national who married a non-EU person (from Syria). As soon as you get married, you apply for permanent residency which they give you in the form of a 5 year residency ID. After one year of being married you can apply for a passport/citizenship but the whole process is very slow and you will probably have to wait between 3-5 years like my husband did (he waited 5 in total). You would have to live in Spain for this time and learn Spanish as you will be tested when its time to get your passport.

About the waiting period of your Husband.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Hi,

I am a Spanish national who married a non-EU person (from Syria). As soon as you get married, you apply for permanent residency which they give you in the form of a 5 year residency ID. After one year of being married you can apply for a passport/citizenship but the whole process is very slow and you will probably have to wait between 3-5 years like my husband did (he waited 5 in total). You would have to live in Spain for this time and learn Spanish as you will be tested when its time to get your passport.

Good luck!

Hello,
it was really informative about the actual waiting time to get the citizenship of your husband. When we read the law it all seems easy as it says one year marriage and one year residency in Spain. But I just want to ask you a question. I heard that this waiting time to acquire the citizenship (which was 5 years in your husband's case) varies in different provinces in Spain. For example Barcelona or Madrid are the busiest and they need long time time. But other places take much lesser time as they are less crowded. Can you tell anything about this?

hi there is no way that u get the citizenship without living in spain. my wife is spanish citizen and we got married last year and are registered in spansih consulate and have the certificate and family book. i got my visa for spain for 6 mnths which will expire in july this year. i haven't been there and will be going next year to apply for my residence card. is there is any way that we can show them that marriage is 1 year old and can apply for citizenship without living there as we both are living and working in UK only.

or

we just go their and register my self in spanish municipal office and come back to UK and after an year can i apply for citizenship. as my in-laws have their house and i can register myself on that address or anything like that.